Resin composition



Patented Dec. 18, 1945 RESIN COMPOSITION George J. Underwood, Chicago, 111., assignor to Hercules Powder Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 30, 1943,

Serial No. 481,134-

11 Claims. (Cl. 260-7) I This invention relates, to a composition of matter for impregnating glass wool, asbestos fiber, and the like, and to an insulating material comprising impregnated glass wool, asbestos fiber, and the like.

Insulating materials have in the past been formed from materials, such as glass wool and asbestos fiber, which were impregnated with-a phenolic resinous composition. was subject to the disadvantages that the impregnating composition used was usually a solution of a phenolic resin in a solvent, which made it comparativelyexpensive, and the material was not highly water resistant, which is important in many impregnated materials, and particularly impregnated paper and paper pulp.

Now in accordance with the present invention, an inexpensive highly water resistant composition may be formed from a phenolic resin, and an extracted pine wood pitch characterized by substantial insolubility in petroleum hydrocarbons which are made up in the form of a water emulsion. The product is in the form of a flhomogeneous'varnish, which isused to impregnlagte glass wool, asbestos fiber, paper, and the li e. l

The invention is carried out by mixing a watersoluble or water-dispersible phenolic resin in water or an aqueous ammonia solution, and adding this to an aqueous dispersion of an extracted pine wood pitch characterized by substantial insolubility in petroleum hydrocarbons. If an ammonia solution is used for dispersing the phenolic resin, the extracted pine wood pitch may be added directly but, if the phenolic resin has been dissolved in water, the extracted pine wood pitch but is particularly useful in forming insulating material with rock wool, asbestos fiber, paper, and

the like. 'It is used as a spray or otherwise to.

impregnate the material which is" then dried to evaporate off the water and then subjected to heat with or without pressure to form the insu;

.,. atingmaterial. I A

The following are examples-of methods for carrying out the invention? This practice Example 1 A solution containing 0.5 part of casein, 1 part of commercial ammonium hydroxide (28%), and 2 parts of water was mixed for about 30 minutes in a steam heated mixer with 10 parts of ex.- tracted pine wood pitch characterized by substantial insolubility in petroleum hydrocarbons. To the paste thus formed was added a mixture of 10 parts of phenol-aldehyde condensate watersoluble resin and 10 parts of 28% ammonia. The resulting varnish was made up to 10% solids content by the addition'of water. The varnish was sprayed on glass wool, which was dried at about 110 C. for about hours to form a waterimpervious insulating composition.

Example 2 ble resin, and parts of 28% ammonia. The

varnish emulsion thus formed was used to impregnate asbestos fiber which was then heated to form an insulating composition.

Example 3 500 parts of 88% phenol, parts of extracted pine wood pitch, parts of trioxymethylene, and 12.5 parts of 40% potassium hydroxide solution were mixed and reacted for 1 hour under reflux. l

A solution containing 50 parts of casein, 100 parts of 28% ammonium hydroxide, and 200 parts of water was heated in a steam heated mixer with 1000 parts of extracted pine wood 'pitch. After mixing for about 30 minutes, equal proportions of the above phenol composition were added, mixed, and the whole diluted with water to a 20% solids composition. This composition was used to impregnate glass wool, which was heated and formed into an insulating bat.

Example 4 was heated and pressed to form an insulating board,

The ratio of the phenolic varnish to the extracted pine wood pitch emulsion may vary considerably, but an amount from about 20% to about 80% by weight of phenolic resinof the total solids, and preferably about 50%, gives the best results. Water may be added to d lute the composition to obtain a desired concentration of solids. For example. in the preparation of rock wool insulation.

a solids content of from 10 to 20% gives the best results. For other purposes, such as the impregnation of paper pulp. amounts up to about 55% more solids may be used.

The phenol-aldehyde condensate water-soluble resin may be prepared from phenol or phenolic materials, such as creso1 xvlenol, 2.2-bishydroxvphenyl propane, etc., and may be condensed with various carbonyl compounds, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, furfural. etc. The condensation is. allowed to take place only to the extent of forming the water-soluble product and is not allowed to proceed to a water insoluble stage.

The extracted pine-wood pitch referred to in this specification comprises a residue low in abietic acid remaining after the separation of refined rosin high in abietic acid from resinous material methods of isfilating the desired petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble pine wood resin may be employed, if desired, such as with use of other solvents for extracting the total resin content from the wood. The resin may be defoamed by steaming or heat-treated to remove volatile substances.

This resinous material is characterized by a dark red-brown color, cherry red in solution, and by substantial insolubility in petroleum hydrocarbons; but it will vary somewhat in its specific characteristics such as acid number, melting point, exact petroleum ether solubility, non-carboxylic hydroxyl content and iodine number, depending on the details of the extraction process utilized. The resin will meet, or nearly meet, the following specifications; namely, substantial insolubility in petroleum hydrocarbons, substantially complete solubility in alcohol, a methoxy content vof from about 3% to about 7% (usually from about 4% to about 6%), an acid number in the range from about 80 to about 110, a drop melting point from about 95 C. to about 125 C., and a non-carboxylic hydroxyl content of about 5 to about 9%.

As indicated in the examples, the phenolic component may be a phenol-aldehyde condensate resin per se or it may be a mixed condensate of the phenol-aldehyde and extracted pine wood pitch.

The extracted pine wood pitch emulsion may be the pine wood pitch itself in an ammonia solution obtained by extraction of pine wood with a solvent capable of extracting a petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component. It is characterized by substantial insolubilitv in cold petroleum hydrocarbons and will differ somewhat in its specific characteristics, such as acid number, melting point, exact petroleum ether sol u bility, content or naphtha and toluol soluble matter, depending upon the method of recovery of rosin from pine wood used in its production.

The pine wood pitch referred to above is a resinous material which will be hereinafter designated by the. term substantially petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble pine wood resin. This resinous material may be prepared Irompine wood. preferably from stump pine wood, and comprises the resinous residue remaining after separation of the rosin from the total resinous extract of the wood. Thus, the pine wood, which may or may not have been steamed to remove volatile constituents such as turpentine and pine oil, may be extracted with a coal tar hydrocarbon such as benzol or toluol,

' and to set the resin.

with a colloiding agent, such as casein, or it may be the modified product of the extracted pine .wood pitch condensed with an aldehyde.

The impregnating composition of this invention is used for the impregnation of fibers in the production of insulating materials, packings, etc. It is used to impregnate glass wool, asbestos fiber. rock wool, paper, paper pulp, etc. After impregnating,.the material is subjected to heat for a p riod of time sufllcient to drive of! the water Thus, the present invention has described a new and improved impregnating composition and product which have the particular advantages that they are inexpensive, strong and water impervious.

This applicationis a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 450,093,

filed July 7. 1942.

What I claim and desire to protect by letters Patent is: 1

' 1. An impregnating composition comprising an i aqueous phenol-aldehyde resin solution and an and the extract then freed ofvolatile constituents,

leaving a residue consisting of a mixture of wood rosin and the petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin; Extraction of this mixture with a petroleum hydrocarbon such as, for example, gasoline,

dissolves and removes the rosin. iAfter separa-' tion of the rosin. high in abietic acid, a resinous residue remains which is low in abietic acid and which is substantialily insoluble in petroleum hydrocarbons. Alternatively, the residue of the initial coal tar hydrocarbon extract may be treated with a mixture of a petroleum hydrocarbon, as gasoline, and furfural and the two layers which form separated, in which case the petroleum hydrocarbon-insqluble pine wood resin is found dissolved in the furfural from which it may be obtained by evaporation of the furfural. Other 2. An impregnating composition comprising an. aqueous ammOnlcal phenol-aldehyde resin sO- lution and. an aqueous ammonical emulsion of a.

residue low in' abietic acid remaining after the separation of refined rosin high in abietic acid from resinous material obtained by extraction of a pine wood witha solvent capable of extracting a petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component, said phenol-aldehyde resin comprising from about 20%to about of the total solids content.

3. An impregnating compositioncomprising an aqueous phenol-aldehyde resin solution and an tained by extraction of pine wood with a solvent capable of extractin .a petroleum hydrocarboninsoluble resin component, said phenol-aldehyde resin comprising about 50% and said residue comprising about 50% each of the total solids.

. 4. An impregnating-composition comprising anlowin 'abietic acidremaining after thejsepara-r tion of refined rosin high in abietic acid from res- ,incus material obtained by extraction of pine wood with a solvent capable of extracting a-petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component.

6. An impregnating composition comprising an aqueous solution 01 a condensateof phenol, aldehyde. and a residue low in abietic'acid-remaining after the separation oi. refined rosin high in abietic acid from resinous material obtainedgby e'x-=- j ous phenol-aldehyde resin solution and an sque ing material comvns simpregnsung insulating fibers with a composition comprising an aqueous emulsion of a residue low in abietic acid-remaining after the separation of refined rodn high in abietic acid from resinous material obtained by extraction of pine wood with a solvent capable of extracting a petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component and heating to drive oi! the water and set theresin.

9. An impregnating composition comprising in.

aqueous. phenol-aldehyde resin solution-and aqueous emulsion or a material selected from the,

group' consisting of a residue low in abietic.

p rable of extracting a petroleum hydrocarboninsoluble resin component and said residue whichbeen modified by being condensed with remaining after-the separation or refined rosin high in abietic acid from resinous material ob-,

tained by extractionoi pine wood with a solvent has aldehyde. i

traction. of pine wood-"with; a solvent":- capable of. 1

extracting j-a petroleum. hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component and an; aqueous emulsionl or said residue.

"7. An impregnating; composition comprising water-soluble phenol-aldehyde condensate resin-,- a residue low in abietic acid remaining after the 1 11. An impregnating composition comprising a water soluble .phenol-'aldehyde resin and an aqueous emulsion of a of a residue low 10. An impregnating composition comprising a water-soluble phenol-aldehyde resin and an remaining aiterthe separation of refined rosin high in abietic acid from resinous material obtamed byextraction or pine wood with a solvent capable of extracting a petroleum hydrocarboninsoluble resin component, containingcasein and ammonium hydroxide.

1 in abietic acid remaining after the separation of separation of refined rosin high' in abietic acid from resinous material obtained'by extraction or pine wood with a solvent capable of extracting a petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component, an emulsifying agent, and an alkali solution.

8. A process for the production of an insulatwith a solvent capable 01' extracting a petroleum hydrocarbon-insoluble resin component and a a colored resin by-product obtained in the refining of FF wood rosin, said emulsion containing casein and ammonium hydroxide.

I GEORGE J. UNDERWOOD.

\ aqueous emulsion of a residue low in abietic acidrefined rosin high in abietic acid from resinous material obtained by extraction obpine wood 

